1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved atmospheric gas burner used to heat the water supplied by a hot water system. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved burner which increases the amount of air which a burner pre-mixes with fuel gas and which vents the resulting mixture through a large number of ports. The mixture burns outside of these ports in small, nonluminous, bluish flames which form a thin combustion layer and which heats the burner housing around the ports so that it glows red hot and radiates infrared heat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Atmospheric gas burners which heat the water supplied by hot water systems, as well as those used in other applications, produce at least one flame which gives off energy, usually in the form of light and heat as a result of rapid chemical reaction between a combustible gas and air, oxygen, or any other oxidizing agent. Generally, this flame includes two identifiable segments. In one segment the fuel gas and air mixture undergoes a rapid chemical reaction. This portion of the flame is predominantly nonluminous and bluish, and it becomes hotter as the proportion of air or oxygen increases. In the second segment excess fuel gas reacts with the oxygen of the surrounding air.
To maximize the heat emitted by a flame, the amount of air pre-mixed with the fuel gas must be sufficient to burn most of the fuel gas, i.e., the amount of air must be such that it minimizes the second segment of the flame. In addition, the flame must not contact any object which might interrupt the combustion of the fuel gas and air mixture.
The heating capability of a burner increases if, in addition to the heat it produces by chemical reaction, i.e., combustion, it can produce radiant heat. This type of heat is energy in the form of waves or particles released when nuclear changes occur in a material. To produce radiant heat, a burner must bring one of its material components up to a temperature at which the material glows red hot.
The improved burner of the present invention meets the criteria outlined in the text above; and it greatly increases the heat produced with respect to the fuel consumed. It produces a combustion layer formed by a large number of predominantly small, nonluminous, bluish flames. In addition, the burner housing below this combustion layer radiates infrared heat which supplements the heat produced by the burning fuel gas and air mixture.
The improved burner of the present invention comprises a housing including an inlet tube with a first dome-shaped end and a second flaring end connected by a constricted middle portion forming a throat. The dome-shaped end of the tube is the inlet opening of the burner through which fuel gas and air flow into the burner. The configuration of the inlet tube provides a "Venturi effect" which produces suction at the inlet opening to increase the flow of air into the burner. The dome-shaped inlet is much larger than the opposite flaring end segment, so that the burner may receive a large amount of air. The opposite or second end of the inlet tube communicates with a barrel.
The barrel is an enclosure which has an opening in communication with the inlet tube to receive the air and fuel gas mixture. It also includes a large number of ports through which it vents the mixture for burning. The size of these ports and their arrangement produces a corresponding number of small flames to form a thin, bluish, nonluminous combustion layer which emits heat and which raises the temperature of the portion of the barrel around the ports to a temperature at which this portion glows red and radiates infrared heat.